The Cavern
by TML
Summary: Rossi should have known the day would be full of adventure, after all it is a day with none other than Penelope Garcia. Response to the Fanfic Challenge Round Three: Dealer's Choice for the Chit Chat on the Author's Corner.  R/G Friendship.


In response to the Fanfic Challenge Round Three – Dealer's Choice for the Chit Chat on the Author's Corner. This is my first challenge so I'm very excited…

Goes without saying but… I own nothing…

Suggested Pairing: Rossi/Garcia  
Suggested Items: A cavern, a skull, a sword

**THE CAVERN**

"No." David Rossi new what was coming. After all he wasn't a well known profiler and author for nothing.

"No? You don't even know what I was going to ask!" Garcia defended.

"She's right Dave you didn't even give her a chance to ask." JJ's all knowing grin gave her away.

"Because I know you Penelope Garcia, maybe not as well as the others but I know that look of mischief." It took everything inside him to keep from losing his bearing at the over dramatic hurt look plastered on her face.

"See! You're wrong already, this is my I'm begging you to hear me out look." She knew she'd won when Rossi bowed his head a deep sigh escaping.

"I'm going to regret this."

"I promise you, you wont. It'll be the biggest adventure you'll have ever been on." She glared at both Emily and JJ telling them in her own way to quit their giggling. "That's what I'm afraid of." Rossi muttered. He knew he should have walked away but he didn't.

"There is this medieval festival called The Cavern that goes every year and…"

"No Garcia! The cavern sounds like a satanic cult." He interrupted her. Why he was still here having this conversation he didn't know.

"Dave satanic cults don't exist remember they were debunked by…" She stopped when she received a death glare from Rossi.

"Don't you finish that sentence Prentiss!"

"Please Rossi just hear me out. The festival goes every year and I've never missed it. I already bought the tickets and everything." Dave didn't want to know what 'everything' was.

"The Cavern? That doesn't make any sense."

"Well they named it because the sword in the stone is inside the cavern in the village where the festival is held and every year. Hundreds of Knights and Peasants have tried to pull the sword and no one has ever been able to." Garcia's excitement grew as she talked about the festival.

"There is no way Garcia! Ask Reid, he would enjoy that kind of stuff." By stuff he meant, for lack of a better work a nerd convention.

"I would but he went to visit his mom and before you tell me to ask Derek he's in Chicago."

"Well why don't you ask them?" He pointed a finger at the two snickering like children.

"Sorry, I'm spending the weekend with my boys." There was no way she was going to miss out on the dinner Will would be preparing and the movie with both Will and Henry right after.

"And as much as it hurts me to say this, but I met a guy at one of my mothers functions and have a date." Emily couldn't believe she'd actually enjoyed herself at last week's social event and it was all thanks to Mark. She hated to admit it but she was looking forward to the date. Mark was good looking, funny, smart, had a plan for his life and most importantly, he was easy to talk to.

"There's always Aaron or Kevin." He already knew that the former was probably going to be a no; he wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of the latter sooner.

"Because Hotch needs to be with Jack, as for Kevin…" Guess the cat was out of the bag. "We broke up a week ago."

"Garcia why didn't you tell us? What happened?" Both JJ and Emily moved closer to her bombarding her with questions.

Garcia ignored the girls not in the mood for her somewhat depressing story. "So what do you say Agent Rossi? Will you please come with me so A: I don't have to go alone and B: I don't have to waste the ticket I've already purchased."

"Fine Garcia I'll go but you owe me." He felt bad because even with the smile she put on her face he knew she was hurting and needed a friend and just like the team had come to help him with his own personal demons he was going to be there for her.

"You name it Rossi. Whatever it is." She suffocated him with a tight hug. Pushing her away he went to hide in his office. The office he wished he'd never left in the first place. Starting his internet explorer he researched medieval festivals. Guess he was going shopping.

Apparently he had to wear something that was appropriate in the 15th century and hats were a vital part of the costume. "At least I don't have to go as a peasant." He pinched the bridge of his nose looking at the brighter side.

He arrived at her apartment the next day and stayed in his car for over 20 minutes. Of all the embarrassing things he'd done in his life this was probably worst. With a deep breath he opened his car door and jogged to the front door hoping no one had seen him.

"Oh my Agent Rossi don't you look nice." Garcia let out a low whistle. Dave stood before her dressed in a black jacket with a gold trim, buttons fastened in the front and a whit under shit, the ruffles of the sleeves longer then the jacket making them visible. His trousers matched the color of the jacket. All in all he looked very presentable.

Garcia had on a very faltering medieval gown its sleeves reaching the middle between her wrist and elbow. The gown was white and long reaching her ankles. The material shiny and soft. A clear forest green cloak begins at her shoulders tying in the front. A tiara made of flowers lay on her head. "You look beautiful Garcia."

"Thank you Sir Rossi. Quick question before we head out. Where is your hat? You need a hat if you want to be taken seriously."

Dave was hoping he'd disappear and not be seen at all let alone being taken seriously. "It's in the car."

"This is a big deal for you isn't it Garcia?" He was amazed at how everyone treated her the minute she'd introduced herself at the front gate. Penelope Garcia was royalty here at the festival and she'd failed to mention that tidbit to him. No one would make eye contact with her and made sure to get out of her way.

"Lady Penelope." She corrected giving a slight bow to the men that greeted her in passing.

"My apologies Lady Penelope." He winked at her.

"YOU!" A voice yelled. "Oh no, you shouldn't have done that." She told Rossi.

Done what? Is what he wanted to know.

"You dare eye Lady Penelope. Your punishment shall be imprisonment in the stocks until death." Rossi followed the man's finger as he pointed to the 'prison area'. There stood two wooden medieval stocks (a piece of wood that separates horizontally in the center and has three wholes one for the head and two for the hands.) One stock was empty the other had a skeleton of someone who'd been there for "years". As if to prove its age the skull fell off the body. By now a large crowd of mostly men had gathered.

Oh hell no. He grabbed for Garcia's hand and pulled her with him as they began to run. Where was his badge when he needed it? Actually forget the badge where was the gun when he needed it? He knew this wasn't real but there was no way he would be in the wooden stock all day.

They ran until they were inside what he assumed was the cavern. They stopped when they had nowhere else to run. "Why did I let you talk me into this?"

"Come on Rossi I told you this would be an adventure and I was right." Garcia was enjoying this way too much. Why wouldn't she? After all she was their 'princess' and now he was a runaway. The crowd grew closer as Dave and Penelope slowly backed further into the cavern. He tripped his back hitting something. He looked up. The Sword. Perfect. Standing up using the sword as his crutch he focused on the sword. Wiggling the sword he pulled it out of the stone and pointed it towards the crowd. With a loud gasp they all bowed.

"You know what pulling the sword meant right?" Garcia asked on their drive home.

"I don't want to know Garcia."

"It means you have to come back next year. You are after all the "ruler" of the festival and you can wink at me all you want now." This had been the best time she'd had in all the years she'd attended the festival.

Thinking hard about it he told her he'd see. After all it had been fun, but he'd never tell her that out loud.

AN: Hope you all enjoyed…my knowledge in anything medieval (to include medieval "talk") is limited to what I've seen in movies and googled… so if I messed anything up I am truly sorry and did not mean to…I promise…You can blame the percocet…A review telling me your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


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